A method is provided for operating an illuminating device for a vehicle that features means of influencing light or a plurality of light sources for the targeted generation of pixels of a light distribution. In the event of failure of at least one pixel of the light distribution caused by a defect in one section of the means of influencing light or by malfunction of one of the light sources, at least one non-defective section of the means of influencing light or at least one non-malfunctioning light source is actuated in order to correct the light distribution. The at least one non-defective section of the means of influencing light or at least one of the non-malfunctioning light sources is actuated in such a way that at least one pixel of the light distribution adjacent to the at least one malfunctioning pixel is reduced in its brightness.